Joe Saunders with minor league pitching coach Zeke Zimmerman at minor league spring training in April 2004.

 

This is why the Angels stockpile pitching depth in the minors.

The Angels acquired ace pitcher Dan Haren from the Arizona Diamondbacks Sunday in exchange for major league left-hander Joe Saunders, Salt Lake reliever Rafael Rodriguez, Rancho Cucamonga southpaw Pat Corbin, and a player to be named later.

According to the Arizona Republic, the PTBNL is Cedar Rapids left-hander Tyler Skaggs.

Dan Woike of the Orange County Register quotes Angels general manager Tony Reagins as saying that the Diamondbacks can choose from one of three players on a list. Arizona GM Jerry Dipoto told the Republic:

We can't deny the volume and the depth that this brings us as an organization. The names involved in the deal on a prospect level, particularly Corbin, and the player to be named, give us extreme prospect depth, at a position, left-handed pitcher, that anybody would covet. In the case of the player to be named, we'll have to discuss that as soon as we get to that point. We got to what we wanted to get to. We were able to add to our club now, provide for our club's future and at the same time we were able to create a better balance and flexibility in the way our dollars have been allocated on our major league payroll to be able to better tend to the different holes on our major league club as it stands today.

Pat Corbin

Tyler Skaggs

 

Assuming the quotes from both GMs are accurate, it would suggest that the list contains three left-handed pitchers, all of whom would be considered top prospects. In addition to Skaggs, that list might also include Arkansas pitcher Trevor Reckling, Cedar Rapids pitcher Tyler Kehrer, perhaps even Orem's Max Russell, who was drafted in the fourth round last June.

Major league baseball draft rules forbid trading a draftee until one year after he signs. If that's the holdup, it would eliminate Reckling and Kehrer (who signed June 11, 2009). Skaggs signed on August 7, 2009, so he can't be traded until then.

The Angels believe that pitching is the coin of the realm, which is why they've leaned heavily towards drafting pitchers in the early rounds. They've relied on that pitching depth in making trade deadline deals the last two years.

The Angels sent lefty Alex Torres to the Tampa Bay Rays on August 28, 2009, along with infielders Sean Rodriguez and Matt Sweeney, for Scott Kazmir. On July 23, they traded RHP Sean O'Sullivan and LHP Will Smith to the Royals for Alberto Callaspo. And now they've traded four pitchers to the Diamondbacks for Haren.

That's four left-handed pitching prospects -- Torres, Smith, Corbin and PTBNL -- traded within the last year. Along with Saunders.

These deals leave the Angels dangerously thin in organizational depth from the south side of the mound. Scott Kazmir, ineffective and currently disabled, is the only left-handed starter on the parent club roster. The next "top" prospect would be Reckling, who failed at Triple-A this year and recently returned to Double-A.

Rafael Rodriguez

 

Salt Lake reliever Rafael Rodriguez was long viewed as a toolsy pitcher with low-to-mid-90s velocity and a wicked slider, but was never able to pitch with consistency. He was the Bees' closer this year, logging ten saves and posting a 2.28 ERA away from hitter-friendly Spring Mobile Ballpark. He's been around since 2002, so some might think he's older than he is, but Rafy doesn't turn 26 until September 24 so he could certainly blossom in the Diamondbacks' bullpen.

Here are FutureAngels.com videos of the pitchers sent to Arizona, including the presumed Tyler Skaggs. You need Windows Media Player and a broadband (cable modem, DSL) Internet connection to watch:

Rafael Rodriguez pitching for Cedar Rapids in August 2003

Joe Saunders pitching for Rancho Cucamonga in April 2004

Pat Corbin pitching for Cedar Rapids on May 1

Tyler Skaggs pitching for Cedar Rapids on May 3

Baseball America analyzes the trade.

Shortstop Erick Aybar and second baseman Alberto Callaspo at Rookie-A Provo in August 2002.

 

The Siamese Twins are reunited.

Multiple sources, including MLB.com, confirm the Angels have traded pitchers Sean O'Sullivan and Will Smith to the Kansas City Royals. In return, the Angels reacquire infielder Alberto Callaspo.

Callaspo and Angels shortstop Erick Aybar were known as the "Siamese Twins," joined at the hip from the moment they formed the double play combo for the Rookie-A Provo Angels under manager Tom Kotchman in 2002. The two moved up together to Low-A Cedar Rapids in 2003, but in 2004 the Angels separated them by assigning Aybar to High-A Rancho Cucamonga while Callaspo moved up to Double-A Arkansas. This gave Callaspo more experience at shortstop, while Aybar played short in Rancho.

The two were reunited at Arkansas to begin 2005, with Callaspo back at second and Aybar at short. Alberto moved up to Triple-A Salt Lake in mid-July that year, and after the season was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks for reliever Jason Bulger. Callaspo later was sent to the Royals in December 2007, with pitcher Billy Buckner going to Phoenix.

It appeared the twins had been separated forever, except for the occasional matchup where Aybar's Angels team would play Callaspo's employer.

A rumor surfaced July 20 on ESPNLosAngeles.com, reported by Mark Saxon, that the Angels were pursuing Callaspo for O'Sullivan and a "fringe prospect." A few posters on a certain fan site responded by smearing Saxon (read the comments), but Saxon delivered a baseball rumor that for once turned out to be right.

When I read the rumor, the first thought that went through my mind was that Angels general manager Tony Reagins was the farm director during the "Siamese Twins" years, so he knew Callaspo as well as anyone. Other than that, I gave it no more credibility than any other rumor that circulates through cyberland.

Callaspo had a couple run-ins over the years with law enforcement authorities. He was accused in May 2007 of assaulting his wife, and was arrested in June 2008 for drunk driving.

Off-field incidents aside, on the field Callaspo had perhaps his finest offense year in 2009, posting an AVG/OBP/SLG of .300/.356/.457 (.813) OPS. Of his 721 major league games through 2009, he'd appeared in only 26 games at third base.

In 2010, the Royals moved him to third base, where he's been most of the year. His overall AVG/OBP/SLG were .275/.308/.410; away from Kansas City, those numbers were .274/.300/.419.

Some fan sites are speculating this might be a precursor to another trade, assuming that if Callaspo takes over in Anaheim at third base it spells the end for Brandon Wood. That's certainly possible, although one could also speculate that the Angels might move Howie Kendrick and return Callaspo to second. Who knows. But whether it's third base or second base, Callaspo and Aybar will once again be side-by-side on an Angels infield.

Regarding Will Smith, upon hearing that he was the second player in the trade I immediately remembered a conversation I had last fall with Royals minor league manager Jim Gabella, who runs their Midwest League affiliate in Burlington, Iowa. Gabella told me Smith was the one Cedar Rapids Kernels pitcher in 2009 he didn't want to face, and that he'd filed a scouting report with the Kansas City front office projecting Smith as a #3 major league starter.

I suspect Gabella's scouting report played a prominent role in the trade negotiations the last couple days.

Here are FutureAngels.com video clips of the traded players from their Angels minor league days (Windows Media Player and a broadband Internet connection required):

Alberto Callaspo at Cedar Rapids and Rancho Cucamonga in 2003

Sean O'Sullivan pitching for Cedar Rapids at Clinton in May 2007

Will Smith pitching for Orem against Great Falls in the 2008 Pioneer League playoffs

---

UPDATE 5:30 PDT -- The Kansas City Star on the Royals' perspective:

Smith, 6-5 and 235, is 5-8 with a 5.53 ERA in 19 starts this season at three LA affiliates. The Angels selected him in the seventh round of the 2008 draft.

"He's a big, tall left-hander who throws strikes," Moore said. "He just turned 21, and he's been pitching in Double-A and Triple-A. The numbers can be very misleading in the overall projection of the pitcher and what he brings."

When I was in Cedar Rapids last May, I noticed a number of jerseys had been mounted on the wall in the main hallway along the executive offices and suites. Some of these were jerseys that once belonged to future Angels, while others were from old Cedar Rapids teams. I took photos of each one, which are below.

Nick Adenhart's road jersey.

 

The road jersey worn by Erick Aybar, Alexi Casilla and Sean Rodriguez.

 

An alternate jersey worn by Alberto Callaspo.

 

These jerseys are from various times in Cedar Rapids minor league history.

 

 

 

 

Will Smith with the Orem Owlz in September 2008.

 

It wasn't supposed to be this way.

The evolutionary path in the Angels' minor league system starts in Tempe or Orem, then it's up the ladder to Cedar Rapids, Rancho Cucamonga, Arkansas, Salt Lake, with the prize a trip to Anaheim.

Will Smith was the Angels' seventh-round selection in the June 2008 draft. He reported that year to Tom Kotchman, the scout who signed him, and who manages Orem. The left-hander helped pitch the Owlz into the playoffs and the only game they won in the championship series against Great Falls.

Click here to watch Will pitch in Game #2 of the 2008 playoffs. Windows Media Player and a broadband (cable modem, DSL) Internet connection required.

I named Smith the Angels' #1 prospect in my 2008 FutureAngels.com Top 10 Prospects report published in November 2008. It was a controversial selection that received a lot of criticism on fan boards.

Will fell to #3 on the 2009 FutureAngels.com Top 10 Prospects report -- not because I got him wrong, but because Trevor Reckling pitched so well he deserved to be ranked #1. (Reckling is about six weeks older than Smith.) 2009 draftee Garrett Richards leapt to #2 based on his potential as a power starter in the big leagues one day. Smith had a couple injuries in 2009 with Cedar Rapids which were blamed on conditioning, but by season's end he'd rounded into shape.

More criticism was written on fan boards, but internally within the Angels my sources were very high on Smith. I sought a second opinion from another organization's manager I knew in the Midwest League whose team faced Will several times that year. He told me that Smith was "the one pitcher I didn't want to face" on the Kernels staff. He'd filed a report on Smith with his front office, projecting Will as a major league #3 starter.

Smith began 2010 with the Advanced Class-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes in the hitter-friendly California League. In six starts, he had a 4.58 ERA in 37 1/3 innings. At age 20, he was one of the younger starters in the league.

Upstream, injuries forced the Angels to promote several Triple-A Salt Lake pitchers to Anaheim. Unwilling to move up any pitchers from Double-A Arkansas, the Angels made the surprising move of sending Smith to Salt Lake. The transaction was said to be temporary, but it lasted longer than many of us expected. Will made nine starts for the Bees before he was finally reassigned yesterday to the Travelers.

Was Will in over his head? Undoubtedly. He doesn't turn 21 until July 10. But I also know that Smith has one of those personalities where he rises to a challenge. He's a pitcher I'd want on the mound in a must-win game.

So it didn't figure that this temporary assignment would ruin his confidence. Quite the opposite. He'd have the chance to see where he needs to raise his personal bar to pitch in Triple-A, one step from the majors.

How did he do?

Better than the overall numbers suggest.

In his nine starts, Smith posted a 5.60 ERA in 53 innings. He struck out 40, walked 20, and opponents hit .305 against him.

But as I've preached many times over the years, especially in those annual Top 10 Prospects reports, Pacific Coast League numbers need to be analyzed in context.

The PCL has five hitter-friendly fields, including the Bees' Spring Mobile Ballpark. The others are Las Vegas, Reno, Albuquerque and Colorado Springs.

Five of Smith's starts were in Salt Lake. None of the four road starts were in the other hitter-happy parks. So we can use his straightforward home/road splits to get a more accurate picture of how he did in neutral/pitcher-friendly parks.

Will's numbers:

Home: 6.14 ERA, 29.1 IP, 17 K, 6 BB, 3 HR, .362 AVG
Road: 4.94 ERA, 23.2 IP, 23 K, 14 BB, 3 HR, .221 AVG

Smith has always been a pitcher with pinpoint control. It appears that at home he was giving up more hits and fewer walks, while it was the reverse on the road. It could be that hitters are more aggressive in hitter-happy parks, and more patient in neutral parks, trying to earn walks. Or it could just be small sample size.

In any case, in "normal" parks he averaged a strikeout an inning, his ERA was 1.2 runs lower, and opponents hit just .221 against him.

Will's numbers should be much better with Arkansas, and not just because it's one level lower. Dickey-Stephens Park may be the most pitcher-friendly field in the Texas League. The circuit once had a reputation as a hitter-friendly league but most of its older parks have been replaced by new stadia.

Looking beyond the home-field advantage, Smith should take the experience he had with Salt Lake and use it to dominate in the Texas League. That remains to be seen, of course, but when you look at his "neutral" numbers in the PCL they're not that bad for a 20-year old who'd only pitched in six games in the Cal League and never in Double-A.

Reckling was just reassigned to Arkansas after posting an 8.53 ERA in 14 starts with the Bees. (9.55 ERA at home, 7.87 on the road.) Tyler Chatwood was just promoted to Arkansas from Rancho Cucamonga. Along with Smith, the three should form the core of a much improved Travelers starting rotation. Reckling and Smith will continue to duel for the title of top left-handed prospect in the system.

Ty Boykin (left) manages the Tempe Angels. Tom Kotchman manages the Orem Owlz.

 

It's usually within a few days after the annual amateur draft ends that I receive an e-mail from a player's parent asking why their son should sign with the Angels. Maybe he was selected in the draft, maybe he wasn't drafted but he's being offered a contract as a free agent. Either way, they want guidance and assurance that it's the right career move for their son.

Let's get the life-altering decision out of the way first.

I can't tell you if your son should leave school or a full-time job opportunity to play pro ball. You need to be honest with yourselves about that.

Not every young man is ready for the pressures of pro ball. Minor league baseball is a business. It's not like high school or college, where he played two or three times a week. In pro ball, he'll be paid to produce results. He may work eight hours a day, but those hours could be 3 PM to 11 PM, 10 AM to 6 PM, or other bizarre hours. He may not get an off day for three weeks. He will be riding a bus much of his daily life, sometimes for 14 hours in a trip to the next stop.

He will no longer be a student. He will be an entertainer. That means he will be in the public spotlight. Immature behavior that might be charming as an amateur may get him suspended, fired or even worse embarrassed in the media. He will have to participate in random drug testing. Don't think it can be beat. It can't. And when he's caught, his name will appear in media reports of ballplayers suspended for violating the drug rules.

Do you think your son is mature enough to handle all that? Good. Let's move on to the main question -- should your son sign with the Angels?

The good news is that the Angels are generally considered to be one of the class organizations in baseball. They set the gold standard when it comes to professional behavior. Players are expected to conduct themselves as responsible adults.

The minor league coaching staff is one of the best in the business. Most of them have been with the Angels for many years, some for decades.

Your son will probably be assigned to the minor league camp team in Tempe, Arizona or the advanced rookie team in Orem, Utah.

One of four playing fields at the Tempe Diablo complex.

 

Ty Boykin manages the Tempe Angels. "Bone" began his baseball career as your son will, as a minor league player. In 1996, Boykin was a player-coach and the next year began his coaching career within the Angels' system. Ty was named the Arizona League Manager of the Year in 2008, and has taken Tempe into the playoffs the last two seasons. Bone was signed in May 1991 by Tom Kotchman, who's now the Owlz manager.

"Kotch" has 1,583 wins. It's believed he has the most career wins of any manager active in the minor leagues. His teams have gone to the post-season every year since 2000. He won the Pioneer League pennant in 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2009.

Each team has a manager, a pitching coach and a hitting coach. They're backed up by an organizational staff of roving instructors, or "rovers."

The rovers spend most of the season on the road, visiting each of the Angels' six minor league affiliates. They see the "big picture" and report back to the field coordinator, Todd Takayoshi, who handles field operations for Director of Player Development Abe Flores.

The Angels' manager Mike Scioscia and his coaches closely follow player development in the minors. After every minor league game, the manager and coaches call in game reports to a centralized phone system. All the coaches, including those at the major league level, can listen to those reports. The Angels also use Dartfish, a software application that lets authorized users view video of the players via a secure Internet connection.

Instruction is consistent within the organization. Much of it comes directly from Scioscia and his staff. They define the "Angel way" to play baseball. Should your son reach the majors one day, he'll already know how to play Scioscia's style of baseball.

You can find in the FutureAngels.com Video Gallery clips of instruction by Angels minor league coaches. Here are some examples (you need Windows Media Player and a broadband Internet connection to watch):

Tom Kotchman leads Owlz players through a baserunning lecture in June 2005. This was filmed the day the players took their first batting practice in Orem. You'll hear Kotch tell them many times they're being taught to run the bases the way Mike Scioscia wants.

Bruce Hines shows players how to properly run the bases. This was filmed in September 2008, just before Hines was hired by the Seattle Mariners to be their third base coach. He's now the third base coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Tom Gregorio leads catcher Anel de los Santos through a series of catching drills in September 2009. A one-time All-Star catcher for the Dodgers, Scioscia pays particular attention to catcher grooming in the minors. Gregorio, the minor league catching rover, reflects Scioscia's philosophy in his training.

But there are limits to instruction. If your son can barely hit the ball out of the infield, they can't turn him into the next Albert Pujols. If his fastball tops out at 85 MPH, they can't make him the next Randy Johnson.

Let's also be honest about the odds against your son. Baseball America determined a few years ago that only one in ten minor leaguers ever sets foot in a major league dugout. Of those who get there, only one in four will play five years in the majors.

Combine the numbers, and they tell you that only 1 of 40 minor leaguers will be a major league regular. The other 39 are fodder to get that 40th player to the majors.

Angels pitching coach Mike Butcher in 2000 as the pitching coach for Rookie-A Butte.

 

If your son has the ability to play major league baseball, he'll be given the opportunity to prove it. If he doesn't, no shame in that, but there are plenty of careers in professional baseball other than as a major league player. Several of the managers, coaches and rovers in the Angels' system began their professional careers as minor league players with the Angels. When they retired as players, they were hired as coaches. Ty Boykin with Tempe and Keith Johnson at Rancho Cucamonga advanced to manage. Angels' pitching coach Mike Butcher pitched for the Angels in the 1990s, then coached in the farm system, and was promoted to the pitching rover before becoming the major league pitching coach. So there's more than one path to the big leagues.

If your son wants to play professional baseball, he's lucky to have been drafted by the Angels. If he decides to sign, I'll be there one day to photograph and film him for FutureAngels.com. If he doesn't sign, and goes on to a life in the real world, good for him but this opportunity comes along only once for most players. The brass ring is there to be grabbed if he wants it.

Kaleb Cowart was the Angels' first pick in the June 2010 draft. Photo credit: Perfect Game USA, Cedar Rapids.

 

The first round of the June 2010 amateur draft was held Monday, and for the second year it was telecast on MLB Network. This year, the supplemental picks between the first and second rounds were telecast along with the regular first round picks.

The Angels had picks #18 (from the Mariners as compensation for Chone Figgins), #29 (from the Red Sox for John Lackey), #30, #37 (compensation for Lackey), and #40 (compensation for Figgins).

Here are the players the Angels selected, with excerpts from player analysis by Baseball America and/or MLB.com:

#18 Kaleb Cowart 3B, Cook County High School (GA) -- Baseball America and many analysts projected Cowart as a pitcher, but the Angels have never been afraid of taking a player projected for one position and converting him to another, such as Mark Trumbo. BA described Cowart as "a switch-hitting third baseman, and while some scouts consider his defense fringy at the hot corner, he has strength in his swing and some raw power." In a post-game conference call, Cowart identified the Braves' Chipper Jones as a role model. MLB's scouting report thinks he doesn't have the range for shortstop, and that he hits better from the right side. Some analysts believe Cowart might be unsignable as he was destined for Florida State, but that's never stopped the Angels who've practiced their "high risk, high reward" draft philosophy since former GM Bill Stoneman's first draft in June 2000.

#29 Cam Bedrosian RHP, East Coweta High School (GA) -- Yes, he's the son of former major league closer Steve Bedrosian. BA believes that Bedrosian could close but could also evolve into a starter. "Scouts have seen his fastball touch 96 mph, and Bedrosian sits in the 92-94 range all day. He repeats his delivery well enough to have fastball command at the amateur level, and with some smoothing out of his delivery he could have average pro command. He also throws a fringe-average curveball and changeup, as well as a power slider." He's destined for Louisiana State if he doesn't sign. The MLB scouting report notes that at 6'0" Bedrosian is "undersized" as the major league pitcher height chart goes, but makes up for it with pitching smarts and an improving changeup.

#30 Chevez "Chevy" Clarke OF, Marrieta High School (GA) -- The Angels' Georgia scout Chris McAlpin seems to have caught the ear of scouting director Eddie Bane this year, as the Halos' first three picks were in the Peach State. BA wrote, "He has shown outstanding tools, from above-average speed (running the 60 consistently in 6.5 seconds) to hitting ability from both sides of the plate. He started switch-hitting at age 13 and has a smooth stroke as both a righthanded and lefthanded hitter, flashing average raw power. He has present strength and explosiveness, generating good bat speed." But they also criticized, "he hasn't dominated high school competition, and scouts question his instincts. He lacks pitch recognition skills and swings and misses too much for someone with his swing and ability." BA believes he could be a tough sign as he's committed to Georgia Tech. MLB believes "he has the potential to be a plus center fielder."

On BA's ranking of Georgia talent, Cowart was #2, Bedrosian was #4, and Clarke was #8.

#37 Taylor Lindsey SS, Desert Mountain HS (AZ) -- Ranked #8 on BA's Arizona prospects list, Lindsey can commute to work from Scottsdale to the Angels' minor league complex in Tempe. BA commented that Lindsey "has been a hot name in Arizona, but the tools and profile haven't matched the hype. He will not be a pro shortstop, as he has a thick lower half and is a below-average runner with a below-average arm. He might be able to move to second base or more likely left field. While he has a nice lefthanded swing, his power is average at best and one scout said it was a metal-bat swing that won't translate to wood." The Angels drafted another Scottsdale infielder, Brandon Wood, in the first round back in 2003 (different high school).

#40 Ryan Bolden OF, Madison Central HS (MS) -- BA had Bolden the #2 prospect in Mississippi. They wrote that Bolden is "raw in all phases of the game," questioned his pitch recognition and ability to hit breaking balls and described his arm as "fringe average." But they noted he has above-average speed and power. BA recommended him as "a better risk for a club with multiple selections."

The Angels chose high-schoolers with all five picks, which is not surprising as BA described this draft as not having many top college prospects as last year. Eight of the first thirteen picks were from a junior college or university, but after that only eight of the next twenty-seven.

Roberto Lopez homered in his second Double-A at-bat Sunday to help the Arkansas Travelers to a 2-1 win over Corpus Christi.

 

Top to bottom, the Angels' organization had late-game rallies -- and won most of them.

The Mariners had a 7-2 lead after 4 1/2 innings but the Angels chipped away to trail 7-6 going into the bottom of the 9th. Howie Kendrick hit a three-run homer with one out and the Halos won 9-7.  It was Kendrick's second homer of the game.

The Salt Lake Bees were down 5-0 to Fresno (Giants affiliate) after 4 1/2 innings but posted three in the 6th, one in the 8th, and one in the 9th to send the game to extra innings. Ryan Budde walked to lead off the bottom of the 10th. Gary Patchett bunted him to second. Peter Bourjos was intentionally walked, then Nate Sutton singled in Budde to give the Bees a 6-5 win.

Corpus Christi (Astros affiliate) scored in the top of the 2nd but Arkansas Travelers' starter Jeremy Thorne drew the line there. Roberto Lopez hit a solo homer in the 4th on his second Double-A at-bat to tie the game, then Ryan Mount hit a solo shot in the 7th to give the Travs the lead. Jordan Walden pitched 1 1/3 innings of shutout relief to get the save.

The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes almost pulled off a miracle rally in San Jose (Giants affiliate). Down 6-1 after four innings, they scored one in the top of the 6th and four more in the top of the 9th to tie the game at 6-6. But San Jose scored in the bottom of the 10th to win 7-6. Adam Younger hit his second homer with Rancho, and Luis "Lucho" Jimenez homered in his first Quakes game.

Wisconsin (Brewers affiliate) scored four runs in the top of the 4th to take a 4-0 lead over the Cedar Rapids Kernels. No problem. The Men of the Corn scored one in the 4th, one in the 6th, then three more in the bottom of the 7th, with Mike Trout's 2-RBI single driving in the tying and leading runs. Manaurys Correa got the win in relief, with the save to John Hellweg.

Mike Napoli played 68 games in the minors at first base, including 36 with Rancho Cucamonga in 2004.

 

Tom Kotchman warned this would happen.

A few years ago, I listened as the Orem Owlz' manager warned his young players never to jump on home plate to celebrate a dinger. Kotch told of an opposing team's batter who did just that, slipped and broke his leg, ending his season.

Kendry Morales wasn't there for the lecture (he began his career at Rancho Cucamonga), but it certainly came to mind when I heard that Morales broke his lower left leg celebrating a walk-off grand slam to give the Angels a 5-1 10-inning win over the Seattle Mariners.

You can see video of the injury on the MLB.com web page reporting the game.

Media reports suggest Morales is probably done for the season, so the question now is one posed decades ago by Lou Costello -- who's on first?

The initial answer is probably Robb Quinlan.

The veteran left as a free agent last winter, found no takers, returned to the Angels in spring training on a minor league contract and is currently at Triple-A Salt Lake. With prospect Mark Trumbo getting most of the playing time at first base, Robb has seen action at third base, designated hitter and a little left field in addition to first. His AVG/OBP/SLG are currently .253/.323/.322, not particularly inspiring numbers but he's a known quantity.

Quinlan is on the 40-man roster, as is Trumbo. I want to see Mark in Anaheim as much as he does, but it's probably not his time yet. His AVG/OBP/SLG are .275/.320/.522, but as I demonstrated in Friday's blog on Salt Lake offense numbers his performance in PCL super-hitter friendly parks somewhat distorts his numbers this year, as usually happens with Bees hitters. In neutral or pitcher-friendly parks, Mark's numbers are .227/.237/.493 in 75 at-bats.

One option out there might be Jeff Mathis, once he heals from his broken right wrist. No, Matty wouldn't play first base, but Mike Napoli would. Nap had occasional time in the minors at first base, most significantly in 2004 with Rancho Cucamonga. Napoli missed much of 2003 after surgery to repair a tear in his right labrum. He played 36 games at first base for the Quakes in 2004, and was at first for 68 games overall in his minor league career. Mike underwent surgery again on his right shoulder in late October 2008, suggesting that he might not hold up over the long haul to catching every day.

MLB.com reported on May 26 that Mathis took test swings with a bat on Wednesday, suggesting a rehab assignment might be on the horizon. That might put him about a month away from returning, near the end of June.

At that point, if the Angels haven't made another move, Mathis could assume most of the catching time with Bobby Wilson as the backup, and Napoli at first base.

The Angels could pursue a trade, of course, but they're not likely to cough up top talent for what would amount to a short-term rental.

In neutral or pitcher-friendly PCL parks, Hank Conger's AVG/OBP/SLG are .340/.431/.480 in 50 at-bats.

 

This is the second in a series of articles I'm writing to look at each Angels affiliate as they currently stand. This is just a "checkpoint" in time.

On May 25 we looked at the Cedar Rapids Kernels in the Low-A Midwest League. Now we'll look at the Salt Lake Bees in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League.

I've been waiting to write about Salt Lake until they completed their recent road trip, which included four games at Omaha and four games at Iowa. This is critical because the Bees play most of their games in super-hitter friendly ballparks. Salt Lake, Las Vegas, Albuquerque, Reno and Colorado Springs all distort what otherwise might be more a more realistic performance of a player's talent. The Bees, of course, play half of their games in Salt Lake City, and Colorado Springs is in their division.

When I write my annual FutureAngels.com Top 10 Prospects reports, for Salt Lake players I always do a custom split. Instead of the traditional home/away split, I look at the five super-hitter friendly parks versus the rest of the PCL to get a more accurate measurement. So I wanted to wait until the Bees passed through Omaha and Des Moines.

When I apply this approach to certain Bees hitters, here's how they stand so far in 2010:

Peter Bourjos (AVG/OBP/SLG)
OVERALL .250/.297/.375
HITTER-FRIENDLY .258/.276/.387 (93 AB)
NEUTRAL .237/.328/.356 (59 AB)

Hank Conger (AVG/OBP/SLG)
OVERALL .284/.368/.455
HITTER-FRIENDLY .250/.330/.440 (84 AB)
NEUTRAL .340/.431/.480 (50 AB)

Terry Evans (AVG/OBP/SLG)
OVERALL .265/.329/.394
HITTER-FRIENDLY .319/.360/.435 (69 AB)
NEUTRAL .206/.296/.349 (63 AB)

Mark Trumbo (AVG/OBP/SLG)
OVERALL .273/.312/.528
HITTER-FRIENDLY .307/.375/.554 (101 AB)
NEUTRAL .227/.237/.493 (75 AB)

It's natural to expect the hitter-friendly park numbers to be higher than the neutral/pitcher-friendly parks by some margin, but when there's an extreme difference it's usually an indicator of something signficant.

In the above numbers, we note that Conger is actually doing much better in the neutral parks. Go figure.

Now let's apply the same approach to certain Bees starting pitchers:

Daniel Davidson (ERA/SO:BB/WHIP)
OVERALL 5.20/29:15/1.47 (45.0 IP)
HITTER-FRIENDLY 5.76/15:8/1.48 (29.2 IP)
NEUTRAL 4.11/14:7/1.43 (15.1 IP)

Sean O'Sullivan (ERA/SO:BB/WHIP)
OVERALL 5.12/41:17/1.38 (58.0 IP)
HITTER-FRIENDLY 6.00/27:8/1.52 (33.0 IP)
NEUTRAL 3.96/14:9/1.20 (25.0 IP)

Trevor Reckling (ERA/SO:BB/WHIP)
OVERALL 6.11/37:34/1.90 (53.0 IP)
HITTER-FRIENDLY 6.67/17:20/2.09 (29.2 IP)
NEUTRAL 5.40/20:14/1.67 (23.1 IP)

Nothing particularly revealing in those numbers, other than demonstrating yet again how the super-hitter friendly parks distort offense numbers for Salt Lake pitchers.

Kernels outfielder Mike Trout has an OPS of 1.000 -- on-base percentage of .442 plus slugging percentage of .558.

 

This is the first in a series of articles I'm going to write looking at each Angels affiliate as they currently stand. This is just a "checkpoint" in time.

We'll start with the Cedar Rapids Kernels, the Angels' Class-A affiliate in the Midwest League.

This is a team that came loaded out of spring training. After a slow start, they've won seven in a row and are 27-17 with a two-game lead in the league's Western Division.

The Kernels finished April 10-12 but in May are 17-5. The turnaround began the day before I arrived in Cedar Rapids on April 30. The team won the night before 7-5 against Clinton (Mariners affiliate), then swept a four-game series against Kane County (A's affiliate).

I covered all four games of the Kane County series, including the April 30 combined no-hitter by Fabio Martinez Mesa, Kyle Hurst and Mike Kenney. Click here to watch video from the no-hitter. (Windows Media Player and a broadband Internet connection are required.)

Randal Grichuk and Mike Trout, the Angels' two first-round draft picks in June 2009, saw their power bats awaken in that series. Grichuk hit three homers in the series, while Trout hit the first two of his five this season.

Grichuk went on the disabled list May 9 with a left thumb sprain. After a very slow start, Randal hit .300/.344/.700 in May (30 AB) before he was hurt. For the season, he was .229/.280/.431 with a SO:BB ratio of 30:6 in 109 at-bats. Click here to watch Grichuk's May 3 home run.

Trout was considered more polished than Grichuk, and it showed. He ended April batting .372/.427/.465 but didn't hit a dinger. The feedback I had last winter within the organization was that Grichuk projected as more of a pure power-hitter while Trout would be the more all-around hitter, with occasional power. April fit that projection, but his five homers in May -- including a 426-foot shot at Cedar Rapids on May 3 -- served notice that he can bash too. Click here to watch Trout's May 3 home run.

Another power hitter I came to Cedar Rapids to watch was third baseman Luis Jimenez. "Lucho" missed all of 2009 after injuring his right labrum, spending the year on rehab at Tempe. Jimenez led the short-season Pioneer League with 15 homers in 2008, so there's thunder in his bat, but when I got to Cedar Rapids he hadn't hit a single dinger and seemed a bit frustrated by it. Lucho hit homers on May 23 anf May 24 at Beloit, and went 8 for 15 in his last three games, so maybe he's shaken off the rust. His overall 2010 numbers are .300/.331/.493. His defense has been a concern, having committed seven errors in 27 defensive appearances, but there's plenty of time for the 22-year old to improve.

Second baseman Jean Segura was just named the Midwest League player of the week for May 17-23. In that period, Segura hit .435/.519/.696. Segura had a 19-game streak from April 12 through May 2 in which he was just 15 for 76 (.197) but since then he's 26 for 75 (.347). His overall numbers are .287/.355/.402. If I had to profile Jean, he would be a cross between Erick Aybar and Howie Kendrick. He has Aybar's reckless abandon in the field but is more of a contact hitter that rarely walks as Kendrick does. I think Segura's build projects him as a second baseman more than a shortstop.

Catcher Carlos Ramirez hit .376/.500/.638 in 2009 for Rookie-A Orem, but in his first full season he's hitting only .181/.306/.295. The Pioneer League, a hitter's haven, can be deceptive especially with older players who have college experience. Carlos is 17 for 40 in catching baserunners; his .425 percentage is fourth-best in the Midwest League.

The Kernels' starting rotation began 2010 with six projectable starting pitchers, so that problem was solved by "piggybacking" the two Tylers, Kehrer and Skaggs.

Kehrer has definitely strugged, posting a 6.12 ERA with a 28:28 SO:BB ratio in 32.1 IP. Skaggs has done well, with a 2.37 ERA and 41:9 SO:BB ratio in 38.0 IP.

Kyle Hurst, Fabio Martinez, and Mike Kenney combined to throw a no-hitter for Cedar Rapids on April 30 against Kane County.

 

The two pitchers with the best raw "stuff" are Garrett Richards and Fabio Martinez. Richards, drafted after his junior year in college, has a 3.54 ERA in 56.0 IP with a 50:18 ratio and a 2.55 Ground Outs to All Outs (GO:AO) ratio. He didn't start while I was in Cedar Rapids but I did film his bullpen session; click here to watch. As for Fabio, he reminds me of a young Ervin Santana, complete with the exaggerated head tilt. The 20-year old has a 4.68 ERA in 42.1 IP with a 64:31 SO:BB ratio. He has "filthy" stuff but little control of it. Click here to watch video from Fabio's April 30 start.

At 8-0, Pat Corbin remains undefeated. He has a 3.86 ERA in 58.1 IP with a 42:10 SO:BB ratio. He doesn't have the dominating power of Richards or Martinez but is still effective. Click here to watch video of Corbin's May 1 start.

He wasn't a top-round draft pick, nor is he flashy like Martinez, but Orangel Arenas quietly is pitching a fine season. He has a 2.03 ERA in 48.2 IP with a 32:14 SO:BB ratio and a 2.38 GO:AO ratio.

Jon Bachanov was the Angels' first pick in the June 2007 draft but suffered an elbow ligament injury and underwent "Tommy John" surgery before he threw his first pitch in official game action. The Angels decided to move him to relief, and Cedar Rapids is his first full-season assignment. He has a 4.58 ERA in 17.2 IP with a 18:10 SO:BB ratio and 1.83 GO:AO ratio. Based on the radar reading on the Cedar Rapids video board, his velocity appeared to be in the mid-high 80s, but I'm told that radar can be off up to 7 MPH. It's not unusual for a "Tommy John" survivor to have diminished velocity for the first year coming back. He didn't allow a hit in his last two relief appearances.

The Kernels are playing like we all expected. Every once in a while, you'll see a "bubble" of talent move through an organization. The Angels' draft class of 2001 was one example, with Casey Kotchman, Jeff Mathis, Dallas McPherson and more. The 2009 draft is showing early signs that they'll surpass that group in potential. But potential is only that, not major-league production, and for all of them that day is still far away.

Lots more video of the Kernels is coming ... when I have the time.

(Sorry that I didn't write about everyone, I focused on the players who've received the most attention in the media from analysts and fans.)